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Free school meals

All children in primary school from Primary 1 to Primary 5 can get free school meals. Children in other school years may also be able to get free school meals, but you will have to apply for them.

If your child gets free school meals they may also qualify for a school clothing grant and holiday food payments.

Free school meals also benefit your child's school, as the number of children that get free meals at a school affects how much funding the school gets from the Scottish Government.

Primary 1 to Primary 5

All children in primary school from Primary 1 to Primary 5 can get free school meals. You do not have to apply, your child's school will explain how it works.

You'll have to apply for free school meals if you want to check if your child can get a school clothing grant and holiday food payments.

Other school years

Children in early learning and childcare can get free lunches if they have a funded place. You do not have to apply, your child's school will explain how it works.

Other children may also be able to get free school meals, but you will have to apply for them if they:

  • are in Primary 6 and Primary 7
  • are in secondary school
  • are in early learning and childcare
  • have a coordinated support plan (CPS)

How to qualify

Your child can get free school meals if you get any of the following:

  • Income support
  • Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
  • Income-based Employment and Support Allowance
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • Universal Credit, if your earned income is not more than £796 per month
  • Child Tax Credit, if your income is less than £19,995 per year
  • Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit, if your income is not more than £9,552 per year

How to apply

Apply for free school meals

If you do not want to apply online you can:

After you apply

When we check if your child qualifies for free school meals, we'll check if they qualify for a school clothing grant and holiday food payments.

If you are still eligible the following year, you may be automatically re-awarded, depending on your circumstances. Ask the school at the start of each year if you need to make a new application.

Tell us if your circumstances change

You must tell us if there are any changes to your circumstances, including:

  • change of child's parent or guardian
  • change of bank details
  • change of address
  • additional children, if you want them to get free school meals
  • children leaving school, so we can stop their school meals
  • you no longer meet the income qualifying criteria

To report a change of circumstances, do one of the following: